Durogon

The durogon were a large, semi bipedal creature that inhabited northern Aels, particularly the lowlands of Polforia in the forests and marshes of lake regions. As the land became increasingly marshy due to climatic changes, their numbers increased with their accustomed habitat in the Second Millennium a.a.H., and into the Third Millennium a.a.H.

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Their environmental preference, morphology, and behavior made them similar in filling an ecological niche to a giant gorilla, or more accurately, a giant sloth. They were unable to stand truly upright, but would "knuckle walk" with their arms and stood about 220 - 250 cm tall at the shoulder. They weighed an estimated 350 to 500 kg.

They differed from giant sloths by walking on their large, flat feet that had three wide spread clawed toes, rather than walking on the sides of the foot like sloths. This, and a usual quadruped travel, kept them from sinking into mud in most conditions despite their mass. They also had three digits on their hands, one of which functioned as an opposable thumb, the other two in line with each other.

Durogon were immensely strong, with hind legs that allowed faster movement than expected. Their hide was quite thick and tough, which, along with thick bones, muscle mass and overall size, made them difficult to fatally injure. Their hands and feet were armed with thick claws, which added to their danger. They had few natural predators as adults in their marshy habitats.

As the Durogon were a beast of the swamps of Polforia they were available for exploitation by the Demonic Dark Legion: Though normally peaceful herbivores, due to their impressive force, the Demon Lord of Entartea decided to use these beasts as a weapon:

Ridden by Ozcura Orcs -the warriors of the Demonic Dark Legion of Entartea- , covered in Iron armors, they were sent into the battlefield in an angered state, carrying over their shoulders the Ozcura Orc warriors who used bows or spears, directing the Durogons in their path of destruction.

In this way, the Ozcura Orc warriors used the durogon as a mobile weapons platform to fire range weapons at enemies from above. The durogon acting as a useful shock trooper, compensating for the relative smallness and frailties of Ozcura Orcs. Metal armor, combined with their naturally thick and tough hides, made them tough opponents to bring down. For these reasons, Durogons became a common and valued feature to an ozcura front line army.

Durogon beasts could be converted into monsters by alchemy, sorcery and the insertion of a 'maná core' (like a 'maná battery', acting something like a temporary Soul Shard). In this form, they were Abominations, so many were remade in this way, that they were a common monster called "Durogoons". Monsters are not very responsive to training or a situation, but they are obedient to their creator's orders, and far less likely to die due to physical damage, but will rot on their feet as their individual maná core becomes depleted.

It is unknown precisely how Durogons would be transformed into Durogoons.